Missing
by DarkestWolfx
Summary: Cal kept disappearing on his shifts and Ethan finally realises why. Spoilers for The Last Call (11/10/14)


Only minutes into the episode and I was inspired by a single line.

Here's the first of many for tonight's episode.

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><p>Cal had been doing it all week. Lofty had found out by accident when he'd seen Caleb walking up to Ethan's room.<p>

"Caleb?" The nurse had questioned, the doctor turning slowly after a moment, obviously irked at being caught, "Where are you going?"

"I'm, um..." Cal tried to think of something a little bit more plausible than 'visiting my brother when I should be treating patients' to use as his excuse, "I'm going to look at some x-rays."

"Wrong direction." Lofty reminded and saw Cal visibly deflate.

"Please don't say anything, I need to go and see Ethan."

"Between patients?"

Caleb really didn't know what to say, "Yeah."

Lofty just sighed, "Quickly."

"You won't say anything?" Lofty simply nodded his head and Cal mouthed a 'thank you' before dashing off.

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><p>His absences became increasingly noticeable. Every break, he disappeared, between every patient he disappeared, whilst waiting for x-rays he disappeared.<p>

Soon it was becoming a problem, it was wearing on him as he attempted to do both his job as a doctor and as a brother: an extremely protective brother.

He spent almost every waking moment dictating his brothers care and Lofty had even witnessed him shout at the nurses once, before later taking it upon himself to apologise to them on Cal's behalf.

Cal knew he had to thank Lofty a lot and put it on the 'to do' list after the capitalised 'take care of Ethan' and 'Look out for Ethan.'

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><p>"What are you doing here?" Ethan asked as he saw his brother enter the room.<p>

"Checking on you."

"You spent all of yesterday with me - you took a day off for it - and you visited me this morning, about an hour ago, do you need to see me again so soon?"

"Anyone would think you didn't want to see me."

"No, no, it's just I think you... well you should be working."

"I have a moment to spare."

"Really?" Ethan queried, "Knowing the ED I really doubt that."

"No, I have time," Cal responded, "I always have time for my little brother."

"Right." Ethan just looked at Cal for a moment before moving to sit up, the elder diving towards him.

"Here let me..."

"I can do it..."

The pair stopped realising they'd spoken at the same time.

"Help."

"Myself."

They pulled their eyes from each other as their linked speech continued, Ethan sighing and Cal looking out the window for any of sign of Lofty being sent to find him.

Then he did the strangest thing imaginable at that moment: he started laughing. And Ethan started laughing too.

When he began to cough, Cal broke from his laughter and grabbed at Ethan's shoulders, a hand moving down towards his back and another to lightly hover over his ribs, "Are you alright?"

"Cal-" Ethan broke out between coughs.

"Ethan, what do you need?"

"Ca..."

"Water, oxygen," Cal knew his brother shouldn't of been taken off of an oxygen supply, "Morphine?"

"Caleb!" Ethan exclaimed as soon as he could catch enough breath to do so, the elder looking at him perplexed, "I'm fine."

"Good," Cal stated, as though attempting to reassure himself that was true, carefully inching away as he did so, "Good, that's good."

Ethan nodded.

"You're sure you don't need anything?"

"No." Ethan answered, becoming slightly annoyed at Cal's fussing.

"You sure?" Ethan nodded, "Certain?"

"Yes, Cal, I'm sure."

"Okay, alright, that's great, that's really-"

"Caleb, go back to work," Ethan could see Cal's mind creating a response, "You can come and see me after your shift, I'll be fine in the meantime."

"You sure?"

"Yes, perfectly."

"Okay." Cal repeated the work as he walked to the door, saying a quick 'bye' and waiting for Ethan's reply before leaving.

The little brother could only shake his head at his brother once he was gone.

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><p>Ethan's words of going 'back to work' did nothing to help and Cal returned every time he could find an opportunity. Ethan didn't say anything else against it and allowed his brother his chosen way. He became accustomed to seeing Lofty run in and demand Cal was needed, and figured - because you didn't need to be a genius to work it out - that Lofty was Cal's only cover for his disappearances.<p>

Cal needed to keep going 'missing' as Lofty said Lily was beginning to name it, he needed to keep seeing his little brother to know he was okay, because he no longer saw him all the time working as per usual in the ED, treating his patients with his usual manner.

He needed his safety net to be in his presence, not shut away in some room with no company.

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><p>Over the passing days, Ethan realised why Cal kept abandoning his work.<p>

Because Ethan was his safety net and Cal still needed him.

Because Ethan was his brother and Cal always loved him.

He just didn't always say it.

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><p>Just something short, with a lot more to come for this episode. I'll see what else I can write tonight from my ideas list (even though they're weren't to many EthanCal scenes, I still have too many ideas) and any others I shall write tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone for their support in favouriting, alerting and reviewing, it really does mean a lot to me.


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